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[Edited on December 7, 2008 at 11:19 PM. Reason : damn new page post]

12/7/2008 11:19:06 PM

Quote :

"don't have a picture to put in here with the ring on her finger, but we got officially engaged this weekend after having that ring here for so long "

Hey man congrats!

12/8/2008 7:20:23 AM

^ and ambrosia1231 thanks!


[Edited on December 8, 2008 at 7:27 AM. Reason : ]

12/8/2008 7:27:07 AM

another reason to go to QTPie at Fink's....

CHRISTMAS CARDS!!!!!

we got our today

12/12/2008 7:24:19 PM

SLIGHTLY off topic, but someone DID post a right hand ring.



I thought it was pretty unique. Its night time and I have terrible lighting in my room - its an emerald (not as blue as it seems in the picture) with four diamonds. Sitting on top of my forensics take home test. I picked it as it is a very secure setting - I can wear it lots of places and a daily wearer without worrying about it.

12/12/2008 10:49:12 PM

I asked se7entythree to marry me today.

Since that's out of the way, I can show her engagement ring.


The band is from Titanium Era.
I had to send it back twice and ended up satin finishing it myself.
Looks good enough now.

12/14/2008 8:58:49 PM

^that is gorgeous! i've never seen a design like that before...really simple and nice!

12/14/2008 9:04:22 PM

Yeah I like how simple it is.
She picked the band 5 years ago




[Edited on December 14, 2008 at 9:16 PM. Reason : ]

12/14/2008 9:08:07 PM

^not my style, but that is freaking AWESOME.

12/14/2008 10:41:25 PM

That ring is pretty badass

12/15/2008 1:16:41 AM

what are the numbers on the diamond?

12/15/2008 1:17:08 AM

you people. that's an odd looking ring, but whatever floats your canoe.

12/15/2008 1:18:52 AM

Nothing crazy.
Ideal cut, 0.72ct, 1.00 L/W, F color, VS1

I needed something 5mm wide and 3/4ct fits that. Any wider and the band has to be wider.

The band is Titanium Era's Belkis in 6Al-6V-2Sn.
They had to set it three times before they got it right (or close enough).
First setting had the stone offset by 0.002". The inside engraving was also too shallow. The band was nicely finished though.

Second setting the tension wasn't enough (I could slide the diamond in the band by pushing on the side) and whichever jeweler did it also rounded off some corners. That wouldn't have been a problem if they were rounded consistently, but two corners were rounder than the others. They also put the damn serial numbered side against the metal where you couldnt see it.

The third band they sent me had the diamond set correctly, but a shitty satin finish. It looked like some kid in shop class put a finish on it with a wire brush. The top flats don't match perfectly with one side tapering and about 0.0015-0.002" narrower than the other. Also, the band looks like it had been torqued sideways causing the ends to be misaligned by maybe as much as 0.001".

No biggie, I've got experience satin finishing knives and gun parts.
I broke out the wet/dry sandpaper and 8 hrs of work later the finish was good.
Not perfect, but good enough.
Sometime down the road when it's scratched up I'll refinish it a little nicer.
I don't have the tools/machinery to deal with the misaligned ends, but the great majority of people won't notice.

Yeah, I'm picky with a good eye and notice stupid details that small...

If I knew what I was going to have to go through before and could do it over again I would have had them send me the band to let me finish it before they set the diamond or kept the first one and hammered that bitch flush.

Here's a pic of a knife I satin finished (started off as a glass bead blasted finish).
http://www.thewolfweb.com/photos/00198232.jpg

[Edited on December 15, 2008 at 2:09 AM. Reason : ]

12/15/2008 1:50:05 AM

yay!

i loovveeee the ring. i really don't like jewelry, esp traditional types, and this ring is perfect for me.

i have no clue where to start now as far as planning a wedding. i have thought of tons of stuff over the years but now that it's actually time to do it i have no clue what i want or what to do.

12/15/2008 8:40:20 AM

haha, congratulations! I know how that is because my fiance is the same way (almost typed girlfriend ..actually I did type it and had to backspace it haha). She is still just on a big high

12/15/2008 9:44:08 AM

thanks!

yeah i'm telling everybody this does not come naturally to me, like it seems to to other girls. i have no clue.

i just want simple

simple, yet somehow including 150+ people

[Edited on December 15, 2008 at 9:51 AM. Reason : ]

12/15/2008 9:51:00 AM

awwwwwwwwwwww congratulations!

Quote :

"i just want simple simple, yet somehow including 150+ people "

Yup
Still working on this conundrum

12/15/2008 10:02:22 AM

Alright, so I've decided to propose. I know what cut, setting, and approximate size I need, but I could use some extra insight to close the deal.

Cut - Round
Setting - 6-pronged classic solitaire white gold (absolutely positive she wants this - we both have very simple tastes in general)

I want to get a:

1) near colorless diamond (since any color would standout against the white gold setting)
2) "Very Good" cut (best value - the difference between this and "Ideal" cuts is very small)
3) SI-1 or VSW-2 clarity rating (at SI-2 there's a much bigger, albeit still unlikely, potential to have inclusions which are visible with the naked eye)
4) Faint or no flourescence (want the colorless quality to stand out)
5) Very good to excellent symmetry (doesn't increase the price much to get Excellent, and it can make a big difference in appearance)


With a budget of $2,500 I can get a ~0.70 - 0.73 carat diamond with a 18K white gold setting at http://www.bluenile.com.

Thoughts?

*********************************************************************
OK, this is where I get REALLY wrapped up in detail:

I noticed some sites differ on the "ideal dimensions of a diamond." A local jeweler informed me that the table/depth %'s should be 53/62.5, but most online websites I visited have an ideal depth around 57%. If I'm going to buy online I want to make sure ALL the specs are perfect, since I won't be able to see the diamond until AFTER I pay for it.

If anyone has gotten into this level of detail PLEASE PM me with feedback. No offense taken if the response is "Dude, ease up..."

I'm sure at leats some of you will understand why I'm fretting details. Shit, the idea of me proposing at all is still mind blowing

12/15/2008 12:29:43 PM

Get the ideal cut.
IMO there really is a difference.
Course I'm picky as hell...

12/15/2008 1:12:19 PM

Is buying this sort of thing online actually a better deal than buying something in store? Because it seems that for an engagement ring, you would want everything to be PERFECT, and ordering a ring online would seem risky as far as it being as perfect as you want it. Too much room for error if you ask me. But you can get a lot more variety online I'm sure.

12/15/2008 1:24:41 PM

Quote :

"With a budget of $2,500 I can get a ~0.70 - 0.73 carat diamond with a 18K white gold setting at http://www.bluenile.com. "

We got my engagement ring (~1.0 carat) and both of my wedding bands (~.50 carat each) for that much, and we bought them in store. And my rings are also 18k white gold. Seems like you should be getting a lot more diamond for your buck? I happen to think my rings are gorgeous, but I'm biased.

Here is some of cddweller's photography skill.

12/15/2008 1:34:11 PM

Online = $600-1500 cheaper.
For that much less it would be no big deal to send it back if you dont like it.
Just make sure you check out their return policy.

If you've never looked at daimonds in person then you should go to a store and at least get educated.

[Edited on December 15, 2008 at 1:36 PM. Reason : Thats talking about loose diamonds. I dunno bout rings.]

12/15/2008 1:35:29 PM

^ this.

12/15/2008 1:49:24 PM

You definitely need to go to a store and look at diamonds.

I dunno if you've read the thread, but PM QTPie. Even if you don't go to her store to view diamonds, she'll be very helpful. She'll also be able to clear up any issues or questions you have about ratios and measurements.

Quote :

"1) near colorless diamond (since any color would standout against the white gold setting)"

And this is why you need to go to the store.
Do you know for a fact that you and/or your intended can notice color?

The diamond in my ring is either H or I, and neither my fiance nor I can tell, and it's set in platinum. I'm probably biased, but I think I have the best ring ever

12/15/2008 3:51:12 PM

Quote :

"The diamond in my ring is either H or I, and neither my fiance nor I can tell, and it's set in platinum. I'm probably biased, but I think I have the best ring ever "

Second best. Mine is the best

12/15/2008 4:02:44 PM

Bullshit.

12/15/2008 4:06:48 PM

I guess it's just a matter of opinion

12/15/2008 4:27:17 PM

ya'll are both wrong, mine's the best!

12/15/2008 4:27:45 PM

IMO there's a big difference between an F and a G.
Some people see it, others don't. They only way know if the color's ok with you is to look at one in real life.

12/15/2008 4:30:48 PM

i'm trying to go for size - thats just how i usually roll.

how important is the cut, colour, & clarity?

12/15/2008 4:55:32 PM

Quote :

"how important is the cut, colour, & clarity?"

More important than size...

The better the cut, the more/brighter it'll sparkle.
If the color is bad (imo G or worse unless it's in yellow gold) then the first thing someone will think when they see it is "ohh shit, looks like popcorn."
Clarity isn't as big a factor as the others at first glance.

I think the biggest factors in order of how much they'll make the stone look bad is:
1-color
2-cut
3-clarity
Size doesn't factor in til you add the band. If it looks too small for the band then it obviously won't look good. If it's huge for the band then it...well it'll look good if she's a pimp.

12/15/2008 5:41:08 PM

i absolutely love the ring Fumbler & se7entythree

it's really awesome! and congrats

12/15/2008 6:40:46 PM

i'm surprised I havent seen alee post in here. its been over a month!

12/15/2008 7:00:04 PM

^^thanks!!!

this is overwhelming. my mom has gone batshit crazy and is like a completely different person. i wish she'd calm down.

the thing i'm fretting with the most right now is a dress. i don't like dresses. i don't want a super fancy formal weddind dress. any ideas on where to look for informal dresses for tomboys?

12/15/2008 8:25:30 PM

Post that Q in the 'ladies, let's talk shop' thread!

We'll find you the perfect wedding dress <3<3<3

12/15/2008 10:16:56 PM

Quote :

"how important is the cut, colour, & clarity?"

Quote :

"The better the cut, the more/brighter it'll sparkle."

in talking with a future in law who used to work for reeds, i learned saturday it also depends on the cut as to clarity and color. for example, emerald has less facets so you want to make sure you get a clearer and more coloress diamond b/c you would notice the imperfections easier otherwise and it won't sparkle as much. whereas a diamond with more facets it wouldn't be as noticeable and still sparkle a lot b/c the light cuts in more places.

or something like that.

made sense to me! i may have heard her wrong though, i was on my 4th glass of wine at that point

12/15/2008 11:21:39 PM

^^apparently i'm retarded today, but i can't find that thread.

found it

[Edited on December 16, 2008 at 8:23 AM. Reason : ]

12/16/2008 8:18:44 AM

Quote :

"And this is why you need to go to the store. Do you know for a fact that you and/or your intended can notice color? The diamond in my ring is either H or I, and neither my fiance nor I can tell, and it's set in platinum. I'm probably biased, but I think I have the best ring ever "

Actually I do in fact know that, once you get to H or better, it looks colorless to the naked eye. I targeted diamonds in the G-H range and eventually settled on one that was a G b/c I liked that particular stone. Blue Nile really does a great job of providing information about each of the diamond's characteristics. When I combined that with info from two different jewelers I felt like I had a strong grasp of what I wanted.

Thanks though, b/c if I hadn't done that research I definitely would have overpaid for a D or E

12/16/2008 5:49:44 PM

12/16/2008 5:59:50 PM

I'd have to disagree with the statement that H is colorless.
Personally G still looks yellow. F looks colorless alone, but has a yellow tint if you put it next to an E, so F is where I drew my line.
I see detail well but I suck at colors.
If G was too yellow in my eyes then I know se7entythree wouldn't prefer it cause she sees color 6542 times better than I do.

The simple fact that we all draw the colorless line in different spots is a good indicator that anyone looking for a diamond really needs to see them in person before they order on the net.

12/16/2008 10:25:39 PM

How you see color (amounts of yellow, rather) is also going to be different shape to shape, and with different cut proportions.....

..... A Princess in "ideal" proportions is a more shallow cut, so it will show a little more than if you had an ideal cut round of the same color next to it.

The "I see color" conversation has to factor much more than just the physical color of the stone.

12/16/2008 11:02:59 PM

True...

I also want to add that since I was limited to about a ~5mm wide princess (~3/4 ct), that allowed me to budget more towards color. Since it went into a titanium band color definately would have a big impact.
If the color isn't as crucial then definately go bigger or bump down a grade or two and save some monies.

12/16/2008 11:08:22 PM

yea my girl wanted the yellow gold band and I went with an I because honestly, after looking at several in stores, with a yellow band the I was pretty much indistinguishable color-wise from anything higher. (and even set in a platinum band "I" still looked plenty good to me)

12/17/2008 12:03:02 AM

I am selling my old engagement ring. Its a round cut, 1 karat set in a Tiffany style platnium setting. I will post pics shortly, but serious inquiries are welcome. You are more than welcome to come by and check it out. VS1, H in color.

PM me for more info.

12/17/2008 11:23:41 AM

if my SLW and DRYS trades go well (see stock market thread) and some other good shit goes down at work, i'm springing for 2.5 carats... i'm more hung up on size than i am color and clarity

12/17/2008 11:36:24 AM

in most cases bigger is better - but in my opinion unless a 2.5 carat diamond has lot of friends to play with it will be too gaudy

12/17/2008 1:07:40 PM

anything over 1 looked awkward and tacky on my girl's hand, especially in any solitaire setting. I ending up getting like a .65 or something and it looks great and I saved money for more useful stuff. The other thing is that the bigger it is, the more that color, clarity, cut etc. came into play from the stuff I looked at in person. Which, to me meant that unless you had a lot to spend, you generally end up getting a lower quality diamond if you're just concerned with size, or you just spend stupid amounts of money to get big and high quality.

12/17/2008 1:12:23 PM

2.5 carats is huuuuuge

though I'd personally rather have a smaller, cleaner diamond than a big one with some inclusions or color to it

12/17/2008 1:12:30 PM

I have just under 2 carats in my engagement ring and 2 wedding bands combined, but it's spread out so that it's not just one giant rock in the middle (which is something i didn't want). i posted a picture of it farther up this page.

12/17/2008 1:20:45 PM

^yea for sure, I think that looks good. just ones with 1 huge rock sometimes look awkward to me

12/18/2008 8:10:33 AM